The room quivered before him uneasily. The darkness shifted in and out focus struggling to make a decision. Wispy and cloud like it hovered like muck a viscous liquid to be pushed through. He was in too deep submerged completely, frantically flailing in a vain attempt to push through everything and at the same time nothing. To shift from reality into the lights that shown soothingly through the seemingly endless mist. Every inch of his body tingled with desire every thought in his head was being dedicated to this cause. His hand appeared in front of vision as he strained to see through the dark colourless environment. “Only a little further!” he repeated in his head breaking concentration.

He awoke suddenly. Sitting upright he drove a shaking hand to his forehand wiping cold sweat with the back of his hand. He stared at the wall trying to bring his breathing back to a normal pace he felt his damp bed sheets stick to him as repositioned himself on the bed reluctantly to fall back asleep. How he hated sleeping these reoccurring dreams of emptiness had a massive effect on him awake or asleep he felt utterly drained and against his will thoroughly disappointed; it seemed a part deep inside of him longed for nothing more than reaching the lights that so often plagued his sleeping thoughts. He had sub consciously connected these dreams with his depressing short comings in life, of his inability to progress as he would like.

Anthony had always struggled to play the game of life his work for a small debt collector’s firm had never satisfied him finically or emotionally and his personal life failed to do much to improve this. Always a loner Anthony had skimmed through school without leaving much impact on anyone his short and scrawny appearance as child and teenager had landed him the subject of other’s jokes and as a result he found himself tormented throughout his young life. Now 24 he found himself quite alone with little to show for himself.

He sunk back to a dreamless sleep inside a tiny, dingy bedroom. This room held a dank smell and feel to it the small desk squeezed into the only free space at the bottom of the bed was littered unceremoniously with odd papers and office stationary. A small lamp was perched at the edge of the desk accumulating at least an inch of dust so its colour would be undistinguishable in this dim light. Through the grimy window a street light was shinning in a faint orange glow which illuminated a picture of women a top a bed side dresser.

This woman was inarguably beautiful. Her long red hair fell past her shoulders in waves to rest unseen on her back. She smiled out towards the room which almost lifted the feel of neglect that hung over it. She had a kind face round and shaped vaguely of a heart as it reached her hairline. Her eyes had a pearly glint to them as they shown blue with happiness making it extremely difficult to look away from her. She stood apparently alone in the back drop of forest which was complemented heavily by her presence. The leaves of the surrounding trees reddened by season it made a very stunningly eye grabbing scene.

The alarm clock next to Anthony’s bed flicked to 6:00am and gave a sudden drowsy beep followed by a continuous unpleasant screech “Dam thing!” Anthony grumbled sleepily scrapping in the darkness for the source of the disturbance. Slamming his hand unnecessarily hard onto the button on top of the clock Anthony rose from bed rubbing his eyes and yawning. Anthony’s build had not changed much from when he was younger although he now stood at close to 6 foot tall. His face held the constant look of a defeated man; heavy bags were formed so deep under his eyes he looked as though he received a hefty blow to his nose. His hair was shaved bald in an attempt to hide his premature receding hairline that was reappearing despite his best efforts. He definitely carried the look of a man who had been rather cruelly treated by time.

Anthony shuffled sluggishly towards his door and wrenched it upon to reveal a dimly lit hallway with two doors leading off to the left. Selecting the first Anthony engaged in his very precise morning routine. He had followed this since he was a young man it included perfectly timed shower of 8 minutes and a further 10 minute grooming time, 4 slices of toast buttered and sliced to triangles. Anthony took a certain comfort from this. Nothing unexpected and nothing out the ordinary it was the simplest and depressingly the most care free part of his day. He left for work at 7:30am sharp this would allow him enough time to visit his favourite coffee shop on his commute to work.